This Is Gonna Sell Out!

(Photo: James Beard Foundation)

Oh. My. Freaking. God.

Alinea super duper chef/owner Grant Achatz just posted this to Facebook:

Freebies . . . on Friday . . .

Low on cash, but got an appetite for the good life?! Every Friday, 312DD features the best bargain bets around town:

This is absolutely amazing!

Why bother going to one of those cookie-cutter chain restaurants when you can support a local gem like Big Jones with the family. What makes it even better is that if you arrive between 4-7pm, kids dine free when accompanied by an adult. That goes down every day.

Words of the Week . . .

Local food journalist Michael Nagrant's tweet on the mayoral changing of the guard was retweeted more than 100 times Tuesday night:

"Rahm Emanuel just ousted Richard Daley as the mayor of city hall on @foursquare."

You cannot say that that ish wasn't funny as hell!

Are You Pissing Off Your Bartender?!

Photo via Nirvino.

We get it.

You educated yourself enough about elixirs and bitters and all things cocktail related that you can make a Manhattan with your eyes closed.

But when you're not a professional behind the bar and you spout off to the bartender just how knowledgeable you are . . .you just become annoying.

That's the sentiment behind the article by spirits writer Camper English, who colorfully describes the ultimate bar snob:

Say Hello To Perennial's New Exec Chef

Photo via Chicago Sun-Times.

Paul Virant has just been named Perennial's new executive chef and partner. The force behind Western Springs' Vie has also been on Iron Chef and won Food & Wine's Best New Chef.

He replaces Ryan Poli, who leaves his post March 7 to take over Tavernita.

Congrats, Paul!

UPDATE: The restaurant will now be called Perennial Virant.

ANOTHER UPDATE: 312DD finally snagged an interview with Kevin Boehm and Rob Katz—the very busy managing partners of the Boka Restaurant Group, which owns Perennial as well as Boka, Girl & The Goat, the forthcoming GT Fish & Oyster and Landmark.

Thank God For Facebook & Twitter!

The Bristol. (Photo: Neil Burger)

It's hard enough getting into Bucktown's offbeat eatery The Bristol, but now AT&T has made it even more difficult, according to a tweet from owner John Ross:

"Bristol phones are down, but we will be open all week! AT&T says the phones are out in North Bucktown&wont be fixed until Friday? Wow."

Yikes. Get it together, AT&T!

312DD Makes Top 5 Restaurant Week Picks . . .

May St. Cafe's housemade ceviche. (Photo: May St. Cafe)

Still in need of reservations for Chicago Restaurant Week?!

312DD made her Top 5 tasty picks on WCIU-TV's You & Me This Morning. Watch the video here.

Chicago Restaurant Week runs through Feb. 27.

Don't Forget To Vote!

It's a big day for some important Chicago people.

It's time to VOTE . . . for one of our local culinary stars.

This year, Food & Wine has launched a new contest—The People's Best New Chef 2011—and here's who is on the ballot: